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The Southern Angle-headed Dragon, Lophosaurus spinipes: a systematic review of the literature

Bradley John Traynor , Heike Schutze , Darryl Houston , Harold Heatwole, Eric Nordberg

Abstract

The southern angle-headed dragon, Lophosaurus spinipes, is a cryptic agamid endemic to the warm-temperate and subtropical rainforests of south-eastern Australia. The aim of this review was to synthesise available information on L. spinipes relevant to its potential conservation in the face of predicted climatic change. A systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA Guidelines. Five databases (UNE library ‘PRIMO’ search, Academic Search Complete, GreenFILE, Scopus, and Web of Science) and Google Scholar were searched for publications up to November 2023 and supplemented by handsearching. Results were synthesised narratively using thematic analysis. Eighteen publications were included in the final review and categorised into six themes: Biology; Reproduction; Phylogeny and Taxonomy; Morphology and Morphometry; Ecology; and Vulnerability. Most publications discussed general morphology, distribution, basic descriptions of reproduction, or generalised diet; eight outlined predation and nesting behaviours; and one detailed an investigation into the thermal behaviour of L. spinipes. There is limited empirical data on L. spinipes. More research, particularly on population sizes, trends over time, thermal properties of the microclimate, thermal limits and metabolism with a focus on rising environmental temperatures is required to underpin decisions relative to the conservation of this species.

ZO25024  Accepted 25 August 2025

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